Music-leaf turner



Nov. 2, 1926. I 1,605,258

J. MEISZNER MUSIC LEAF TURNER Filed Sept. 28, 1922 2 sheets-sheet 1 5 a a 9 I kitm INVENTOR.

Nov. 2', 1926. 1,605,258

J.ME$ZNER MUS I C LEAF TURNER Filed Sept. 28, 1922 2 sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 2, 1926.

UNITED STATES JOHN MEISZNER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

MUSIC-LEAF TURNER.

Application filed September 2 8, 1922. Serial No. 591,032.

The object of this invention is to enable the turning of the leaves of music, either in sheet or book form, by a musicians foot while he is engaged in playing an instrument, thereby obviating the well-known and common objection of the musicians being obliged to discontinue the use of a hand or the hands on the instrument while engaged in turning the printed music.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, in which like numbers of reference denote like parts wherever they occur,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the lower part of this device;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the upper part of this device;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the rack and associated parts of the foot control;

Figure 4 is a detail of the treadle support, section being taken on the line 1-4: of Fig. 1.

Figure 5 is a perspective detail of a clip;

Figure 6 is a perspective detail showing the connection between two operating members; and

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 77 in Figure 1. I

t is to be understood that the rods 1 in Figures 1 and 2 are the same rods, being broken away in each of the said figures, but in actuality being continuous.

This device is equally adapted for turning the leaves of music on a piano or on music racks or stands, such as are used by violinists and other members of an orchestra. When attached to a piano, the rods 1 will be passed inside the front of the case, and the treadle 2 will pass through the front of the piano case, like one of the piano pedals. The length of the rods 1 may be varied, but not necessarily because of being attached to a music rack rather than a plano, but rather depending upon whether the player will sit or stand relative to the music, and also upon the height of the user. Moreover, the rods 1 may be arranged to telescope each other like the center stem of a music rack or stand. Such telescoping is not shown in the drawings, but is easily understood.

The book 5 is positioned upon the rest 6..

The musician attaches a clip 7 to each of the leaves that he may need to turn. The pieces to be played seldom exceed in length 22 pages. For that reason, this devlce Wlll. preferably be constructed with ten rods 1,

each of the same beingequipped at its top with a turning finger 8, each of the said fingers belng provided with a clip 7. The

musician attaches as many clips 7 to as many respective leaves 10 as it is necessary to turn over during the course of the, selections being played,the first clip at the left being attached to the first sheet to be turned and the other succeeding sheets being accordingly attached to the remaining clips, respectively, as determined by their consecutive order toward the right. The clip holding the first leaf is borne by the first rod 1 at the left and the said rod is actuated by the lowermost of the bars 15. Rack 3 is ad usted, in the manner hereinafter more fully described, so that its nose 19 is just one stage below the lowermost rod 15. When it becomes necessary to turn over the first leaf, pedal 2 is first depressed and then moved toward the left, whereby nose 19 is elevated to the height of the lowermost rod 15, which is then moved toward the left with lateral movement of the pedal 2 while the latter remains depressed. The lateral movement of rod rotates the first rod 1, and likewise its arm 9 and clip 7., thereby turning over toward the left the first leaf attached to the said clip. When the leaf has been turned, the foot is removed from pedal 2 which returns under spring impulsion to its normal position at the right and the dog 4, having been depressed with the return of pedal 2 to its normal elevated position, passes with the movement of pedal 2 toward the right into a succeeding notch 3, whereupon the parts of the device are again in normal position preparatory to the repetition of the foregoing operation upon the second rod 1 when the turning of the second leaf becomes'necessary, and so on, for the remaining leaves. a V

The rotation of rods 1 is produced in the following manner. Each rod 1 is formed with a crank 11, preferably formed as best shown in Figured with a crank arm 12 upon the upper andlower parts of rod 1, there being a bolt-hole through each of the said crank arms and a bolt 13 passing through the said holes and through a bearing 14, formed on the end of bar 15, which is provided with a finger 16. Each bolt 13 has fastened at its end a nut 17. When bars 15 are moved to the left, they rotate their respective rods 1 by pushing upon their respective cranks 11, which, as best shown in llO Figure 6, are set slightly off center, so that there may be no dead-center in their operation upon lateral movement of the treadle' 2.

Each bar 15 is moved to the left by the engagement of its finger 16 with the rack 3 in its lateral movement. Each finger 16 is bent at right angles, so as to form an offset to be contacted by the nose 19 of the rack 3 when the latter is'moved towards the left. Each depression of treadle 2 causes the rack 3 to rise the distance of one tooth 18. When the rack has risen said distance, a lateral movement of the treadle toward the left carries with it rack 3 which causes the nose 19 of rack 3 successively to push upon the finger 16 of each of the bars 15, and thereby successively rotate rods 1, beginning with the first left hand rod 1, and likewise successively turning the respect-ive leaves clipped to the respective rods 1, the rack 3 being returned to the ri ht to its normal position by the spring 41 after each movement toward the left.

The bars with their offsets 16 are so arranged in series that each time the treadle 2 is depressed it lifts the rack 3 the distance of one notch, and each successive step or stage of elevation of the rack 3 brings its nose 19 into position to engage, the offset 16 of that bar 15 which is just above the particular bar 15 which has last been turned to the left by the lateral movement of the treadle 2. Thus the first leaf of music will be turned by the movement to the left of the lowermost bar 15, contacted with by the first lateral movement of treadle 2 the nose 19 having been brought opposite the finger 16 f the said bar by the first elevation of rack 3. The second bar 15 similarly turns the second leaf of music, and so on consecutively. V

The construction hereinbefore described provides a swiveled connection between bars 15 and rods 1. Each rod 1 is really in two parts, connected by a bolt 13.

The dog 4 is preferably formed of a piece of metal having a shoulder 20 bent or formed at a right angle to the main body thereof, in which shoulder 20 is a hole 21 (screw-threaded or otherwise) for the reception of the rod 22, the other end of which is journaled in a hole 23 through a shoulder 24, suitably supported from treadle 2.

A coiled-spring 25 encircles rod 22 and abuts against the shoulders 20 and 24, thus forcing dog 4 by constant spring pressure into steady contact with rack 3, but such contact is yielding by reason of spring 25, so as to allow dog 4 to ride over the teeth 18. Other spring pressure for dog 4 can be substituted for the arrangement herein described relative to spring 25. A pawl 26, engages in the notches of rack 3, and is spring-pressed in such engagement by leafspring 27, encircling pin 28 and engaging at 29 on the underneath side of treadle 2. The spring 27 engages the arm 30 of the pawl 26. This arrangement prevents rack 3 from falling, and keeps it in the position to which it has been elevated by the depression or successive depressions of treadle 2. The rack and its cooperating elements are reset each time before the clips 7 are attached to the leaves to be turned, and after being so reset the pawl 26 will again be in normal operative position, by reason of spring 27, to hold the rack from sliding downward. This can be accomplished by a small handle 31 attached to pin 23 and employed for mov ing the pawl 26 out of engagement with the rack 3.

A screw 32 is stationary in treadle 2, and a slot (not shown in the drawings) in dog 4 allows dog. 4 to ride back and forth relative to screw 32 when the dog 4 is riding over teeth 18.

Rack 3 slides. through box 33 which supports the pair of arms 34, through which pin 28 passes and between which are located the spring 27 and the arm 30. The box 33 is provided with a cross-like extension which is fitted to slide in a groove 36 of similar shape in block 37, as shown in Fi ure 4. Block 37 is supported by standards 38 or the like, having feet 39 or the like, by which the same may be secured to a suitable part of the music rack or piano. Block 37 is secured by screws 40 to standards 38. The box 33 moves with the treadle 2 and rack when the same are moved toward the left to move the rod 15, the said box 33 sliding longitudinally in the groove 36 and being returned to the right to normal position by spring 41 located in the tube 42. A stem 43 projecting from extension or cross 35 centers the said spring 41 against cross 35. The end of tube 42 is closed by screw 44.

t is to be understood that the arm 9 that turns the first leaf of music will be the shortest arm in the series, and that each successive arm is a little longer than its predecessor. Rods 15 slide in bearings in upright 46 which is secured in a suitable manner to the base 47 having bearings 48 in which are journaled the lower ends of the rods 1.

Having thus described this invention, I hereby reserve the benefit of all changes in form, arrangement, order, or use of parts, as it is evident that many minor changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of this invention or the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A music leaf turner comprising a plurality of rotatable rods respectively formed with a crank and a leaf-turning arm, a plurality of crank-operating bars at right anglcs to the said rods and of a. number equal thereto, a pivotal connection between each bar and the crank of the rotatable rod adjacent thereto, and means for actuating said bars and rotating said rods including a movable rack and a treadle equipped with a dog for moving the said rack.

A music leaf turner comprising a plurality of rotatable rods respectively formed with a crank and a leaf-turning arm, a plurality of crank-operating bars at rightangles to the said rods and of a number equal thereto, a pivotal connection between each bar and the crank of the rotatable rod adjacent thereto, and means for actuating said bars and rotating'sa-id rods including a movable rack, a treadle equipped with a dog for moving the said rack, and means preventing retrogression of the said rack.

A music leaf turner including a rotatable rod having a crank portion and a leafturning arm, an operating bar extending from the said crank portion, and means for actuating the said operating bar and rotating the said rod, including a rack, a dog for moving the said rack into a position to engage the free end of the bar when shifted in the longitudinal direction of the latter, a treadle for actuating said dog, and a, pawl for retaining the said rack in its operative position, said rack and treadle being connected together for unitary sliding movement to shift the said bar in a rod-turning direction.

4. A music leaf turner including a rotatable rod having a crank portion and a leafturning arm, an operating bar extending from the said crank portion, and means for actuating said bar and rotating said rod, including a support, a movable member slidably engaged with the support to move in the longitudinal direction of the operating bar, a rack carried by the said movable member and adjustable into a position to engage the free end of the operating bar when the movable member is moved in the said longitudinal direction of the bar, and means for adjusting the said rack into the said position.

A music leaf turner including a rotatable rod having a leaf-turning arm, an operating bar operatively connected to the said rod to turn the same when moved longitudinally, and means .for actuating said bar and rotating said rod, including a support, a movable member slidably engaged with the support to move in the longitudinal di rection of the said operating bar, a rack carried by the said movable member, means for adjusting the rack into a position to engage and shift the said operating bar during the longitudinal movement of the movable member, and means for retaining said rack in the said position.

6. A music leaf turner including a rotatable rod having a leaf-turning arm, an operating bar operatively connected to the said rod to turn the same when shifted longitudinally, and means for actuating said bar and rotating said rod, including a support having a groove extending in the longitudinal direction of the said operating bar, a

movable member slidable in the said groove, a rack adjustably supported in the said movable member for adjustment into a position to engage and shift the said operating bar when the said movable member is moved longitudinally in a rod-turning direction, means for adjusting the said rack into the said position, and elastic means within the groove and in advance of the said movable member for returning the latter to its normal. position at the completion of'each rodturning stroke.

7. A music leaf turner including a plurality of separately rotatable rods respectively provided with a leaf-turning arm, a separate operating bar for each rod and operatively connected to the rod to turn the same when shifted longitudinally, and means for actuating said bars and rotating said rods successively, including a movable member slidably supported to move in the longitudinal direction of the operating bars, an adjustable rack carried by said movable member and extending transversely to the longitudinal direction of the said operating bars, means for adjusting the said rack to engage each bar successively, and means for retaining the said rack in the positions to which it is adjusted.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

JOHN MEISZNER. 

